ETF Statement of Solidarity with Food Delivery Riders in Austria The ETF stands in solidarity with Vida trade union and the approximately 1,000 food delivery riders affected by the closure of the Scoober (employed courier) business of Lieferando Austria, a subsidiary of Just Eat Takeaway.com NV (JET). Statement 19 Mar 2025
ETF Youth Winter School: The Rise of a New Union Generation A new generation of union leaders is rising in Europe’s transport sector. Last December in Sofia, they came together to tackle the industry’s biggest challenges – from platform work to far-right extremism, proving that young unionists are “not only the future but the present” of our movement for transport workers’ rights. News 10 Jan 2025
Platform Directive: A Win For Platform Workers and Their Unions Overall, this directive will help improve the situation of platform workers by giving them easier access to their employment rights. While it does not go as far as we would have liked but it is a very valuable tool for platforms and unions to take action at national level. For the first time ever, it provides better data privacy and regulation of algorithmic management. Statement 12 Mar 2024
800 days later, Member States Slam Door Shut on Platform Work Directive The failure of member states has dashed hopes that an EU directive would help end bogus self-employment and give platform workers employment contracts. The aim of the directive to improve the working conditions of platform workers by correct employment classification has failed. Millions of precarious platform workers with little or no rights will remain at the mercy of unscrupulous platforms. Statement 16 Feb 2024
“Green Deal, Our Deal?” ETF’s Conference Highlights Urgent Need for Policy Reform in Transport Sector In her opening remarks, ETF General Secretary Livia Spera emphasised the urgent need for European and national transport policies to become more coherent and worker-centric. “Without immediate action,” Spera warned, “Europe risks facing a severe shortage of personnel to operate our trains, buses, trams, and trucks.” News 22 Jan 2024
ETF Welcomes Platform Work Directive with a Call for Vigilant Enforcement The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) is cautiously optimistic about the provisional agreement on the Platform Work Directive, marking a potentially pivotal moment in the fight for the rights of millions of gig economy workers. In solidarity with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), ETF welcome what we hope will be a major advancement in correcting the long-standing misclassification of platform workers. However, we still need see the final text once agreed by all parties. Press Release 13 Dec 2023
Council breakthrough, an important step forward in the process, but text weakens worker’s hand Once the mandate of the Council of the European Union on the platform work directive has been agreed upon, the trilogue negotiations between Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament on Platform Work Directive can start. ETF has very strong reservations about the Council’s position and believes the strong presumption of employment contained in the EP text is the best way to ensure that workers are classified correctly to get access to their employment, social and pension rights. News 13 Jun 2023
‘Governments must seize this moment’: Critical juncture for EU Platform Work Directive It’s time for the Council of the EU to agree on a mandate on the Platform Work Directive that will protect the employment rights of millions of app-based transport workers, including ride-hail drivers and food delivery riders! ETF, ITF and their affiliates are calling on the Council to hammer out a deal so that trilogue negotiations with the European Commission, Council and Parliament can finally begin. Press Release 9 Jun 2023
Transport unions for fair platform work As one of the fastest growing business models, most common in delivery and ride hailing in transport, platform work took centre stage at a dedicated session at ETF’s 6th Congress. News 8 Jun 2022
On-Demand Transport: Curse or Blessing? Dirk Schlömer, Urban Public Transport Committee Chair shares ETF’s views on on-demand transport. News 19 Apr 2022